After tying my long red hair up in a top knot, I stormed out of the bathroom and found Brayden with his hand on the door to exit the hotel room.
“Wanna get breakfast?” he asked.
I glanced at the bed to see Maddy’s chest slowly rising and falling.
“She sleeps like the dead,” he told me.
“Will she be okay alone?” I asked.
When they’d both left me last night, I’d felt destitute until she’d come back in to hold my hand. It was like being a kid again and being left all alone in a big house. You could survive but it wasn’t comfortable.
He nodded. “Maddy’s an old wolf like me. She’ll be fine.”
Old wolf? They were both, like… early twenties. But then I remembered the wholeimmortaltalk we’d had. I didn’t even want to know how old he really was.
I shrugged and slipped out the door with him. As we walked down the hallway, I stared at the overly printed carpet and then looked over at Brayden.
“You know, if you can read someone’s thoughts it’s a good idea to tell them that immediately!” I said with more anger in my tone than planned.
He chuckled. “Emotions.Not thoughts.”
“Whatever. Step one: You’re a werewolf.” I lowered my voice. “Step two: I can read your emotions.”
He nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind the next time a girl randomly stumbles upon me in the woods and gets bitten. I didn’t plan your change, you know. I haven’t had a new wolf in a very long time. My pack is full of born wolves.”
I guess that was sort of an apology.
“Fine. Whatever.” I waved him off. It was hard to stay mad at the dude. He was so pretty and had such a sob story.
I scanned his face for any indication that he might have picked up on that emotion, but he was stone-faced as he opened the door for me and waved me into the breakfast seating area.
Nice guy who opened doors, of course he was. I really wanted to hate him but was finding it hard.
I got in line and piled up my plate with eggs, bacon, and pancakes. He did the same and then we found a table. When we sat, I dug right in and we ate in companionable silence for a few moments.
“So I can go back home today?” I asked. That was really all I cared about right now. Go home and meet up with these guys every full moon. It would be like having your period once a month. It sucks but it’s necessary and you just get through it.
Brayden look a swig of his orange juice and his gaze rested over my face. “Sort of.”
I froze, leaning forward, pressing my elbows to the edge of the table. “You said I could go home.”
He nodded. “You can. But I think you would find it very uncomfortable to live without your pack.”
Live with them? Was he asking me to move in with them?
I swallowed hard, thinking of that feeling in my chest last night when they’d both left the room. Would it be like that all night long?
“A new packmate relies heavily on the emotional support of her pack. Without spending time with us at night, I don’t see how you will get through your day alone at school and work,” he said flatly.
I narrowed my eyes at him. How did he know I went to school?
“I followed you after you got bit,” he added casually, as if that wasn’t creepy. “I had to, per the Amarok’s rule that all bitten wolves be watched to see if they turn.”
Chills ran up my spine.
“Amarok?”
He nodded, looking left and right at all of the sleepy-eyed breakfast goers. “The second Silas bit you and I used my saliva to change you, there was a dispute. Normally, the one who bites you is your alpha. But it was my saliva that saved you and so I have requested a meeting with the Amarok. We will meet with him this afternoon. I will lay the claim that you are mine.”
